The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Chapter 80 Sarcasm (Please Subscribe)

Huang Jin was a bit overweight, and by now he was panting heavily, his vision was starting to blur.

"Your Highness—ancestor, please stop! This servant—this servant truly cannot catch up with you."

Zhu Zaizhen was fine, just a little out of breath, not tired at all. On the contrary, because of the exercise, he was even more excited. At twelve or thirteen years old, he was really full of energy.

Zhu Zaizhen slowly stopped beside Huang Jin, who was panting and supporting his knees, and reached out to pat his back: "Alright, alright, Huang Ban will definitely be able to get a good night's sleep tonight."

Huang Jin looked distressed: "This servant—this servant thanks you."

Zhu Zaizhen waited patiently for Huang Jin for a while until he caught his breath before they went to the palace together. The sun was scorching, so the two of them deliberately chose to walk under the eaves. The cicadas chirped noisily along the way, which made them feel quite relaxed.

As soon as they reached the entrance of the hall, they saw several Taoist priests. The one in the lead, wearing a green robe and yellow sash, held a whisk and had an otherworldly air about him. It was Tao Zhongwen.

This time, the old Taoist priest didn't put on airs. His deeply bowed face also revealed a touch of kindness, as if he were about to reach out and bestow immortality upon the immortal by touching his head and tying his hair.

"Your humble servant pays respects to Your Highness Prince Jing."

Zhu Zaizhen paused. That old bastard, last time he saw him he was so arrogant and didn't even bother to talk to him, but now he knows how to be polite. Too bad it's too late.

Zhu Zaizhen's smile remained unchanged, but he immediately questioned without any mercy: "Master Tao? Why were you arrogant before and then so respectful?"

King Jing's tone was joking, but these words made Tao Zhongwen's face flush even more, and even infected the disciples behind him, but they dared not say anything.

Tao Zhongwen was taken aback. He guessed that Prince Jing might have some objections to his perfunctory attitude during their last meeting, but he did not expect that Prince Jing would not even give him a chance to make amends.

And he actually dared to speak like that in front of the imperial palace. Didn't he know how much the emperor trusted him, and that his words could greatly increase Prince Yu's chances?

Is it ignorance that breeds fearlessness? Or is it just youthful arrogance?

Zhu Zaizhen did not hide his dislike for Tao Zhongwen; being close to too many people around the emperor was not entirely a good thing.

The emperor was sensitive and suspicious. If everyone around him said the same thing about someone, he would only become wary and disgusted.

Therefore, between Huang Jin and Tao Zhongwen, he would only choose Huang Jin.

Moreover, after a while, he really planned to find a Taoist priest who could deceive people and send him to the West Garden, so that he and Tao Zhongwen would become irreconcilable enemies.

Rather than waiting for his father to realize that his power was growing and to take action to restrain him, he pushed the key people around him to Prince Yu's side.

It would be better to take the initiative and push people like Tao Zhongwen, who are insignificant but currently favored by the emperor, to the opposite side.

Tao Zhongwen lowered his gaze. He was quite old, and since entering the palace in the eighteenth year of the Jiajing reign, not only princes, nobles, chief ministers, and ministers, but even the emperor himself had shown him great respect.

For ten years, no one had ever dared to ridicule him to his face like this, yet today he was being treated this way by a mere child.

Seeing this, Huang Jin became anxious and quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, smiling and saying, "Immortal Master, please don't take it to heart. His Highness is still young and has always loved to joke. He meant no harm whatsoever."

Tao Zhongwen's face turned cold. He wanted to turn back and tell the emperor that Prince Jing's evil aura was too strong and would surely offend the emperor's health.

But when he looked at Huang Jin, who was smiling and trying to smooth things over, he knew he couldn't do that. If the emperor discovered that he harbored personal grudges and used Taoist magic to frame the prince, the emperor's favor he had accumulated over the decades would vanish in an instant.

At his age, he's not afraid of death; in fact, he forces himself to live every day, which is what causes suffering.

But he dared not die. Over the past ten years, his disciples, grand-disciples, sons and grandsons have all benefited from him. Some have become officials, while others have been worshipped in the homes of noble officials.

Those who amassed countless riches, whether in or out of court, would face ruin if they were ever rejected while alive, or died prematurely and were not understood by the emperor. In such cases, all their members would be imprisoned, and all their hard work would be for naught.

Therefore, Tao Zhongwen simply switched back to a businesslike tone: "His Majesty has decreed that Your Highness must be restrained by talismans before entering the palace."

"Please."

Zhu Zaizhen watched as four Taoist priests stood around him, then began chanting incantations while performing the Yu Step. Finally, they handed him a folded talisman, instructing him to keep it close to his body and not to remove it before leaving the hall.

Several months later, Zhu Zaizhen finally stepped into the palace again, much more smoothly than expected.

Led by Huang Jin, they arrived at the hermitage. Through the thick curtains, they could only vaguely see the figure of Emperor Jiajing sitting cross-legged in meditation.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and inquires about Your Majesty's well-being."

Emperor Jiajing remained seated with his eyes closed, Zhu Zaizhen remained kneeling in place, while Huang Jin stood to one side holding a scroll painted by Emperor Xuanzong.

After a long silence, the emperor finally spoke slowly: "Taking an inch and wanting a mile."

Zhu Zaizhen immediately replied, "Father, that makes no sense."

"Is there no reason for this?" Jiajing's tone was flat, as if he were just asking a normal question, but Huang Jin's heart jumped.

Your Highness took a risky step to be granted an audience; if you do not respond well, who knows when you will be able to enter again.

"Father gave Shuangmei's cub, and only then did I dare to think about that painting. If Father hadn't given me the cat, I wouldn't even have been able to enter the West Garden."

Zhu Zaizhen knelt upright, but spoke with righteous indignation, "Your Majesty, I am merely climbing the ladder you have given me. You have shown me some favor, which is why I dared to take advantage of you. How can you blame me for pushing my luck now?"

There was a moment of silence behind the curtain.

"Nonsense." Jiajing's voice remained indifferent, but the last syllable rose slightly, making it seem less like he was truly angry.

Zhu Zaizhen immediately seized the opportunity, pulling out the talisman from his robes and waving it around, his tone carrying a hint of accusation: "Father, Master Tao was just performing a spell on me outside the palace, chanting incantations and using talismans. I think it's an ominous sign—"

"Alright." Jiajing frowned slightly at his incessant chatter, feeling somewhat helpless. He subconsciously turned his head and, through the layers of curtains, took a deep look at the figure kneeling upright but showing no sign of cowardice.

That brat is really audacious. He promoted Xu Jie to Minister of Personnel, which was meant to teach him a lesson, but Xu Jie seems to have no reaction at all.

After a long pause, Jiajing casually tossed out a sentence: "Huang Jin, bring the painting over."

Huang Jin felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly presented the "Springtime Play in the Tang Garden" painting. Jiajing unfurled the scroll halfway, his gaze lingering on the adorable cats in the painting, then glancing at his kneeling son, and suddenly said, "You want my painting?"

"I don't want it, I just need to borrow it for a few days to have someone make a copy, and then send the original back to Father Emperor." Zhu Zaizhen emphasized seriously, he wasn't a robber.

Jiajing almost laughed, but his tone remained as calm as ever, even sounding somewhat sarcastic: "You want to find that little eunuch who just drew the picture of the contracted cat for you?"

"Of course not."

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